Envelope



Patented May 15, 1928.

GUST HARMOUTH, OF YALE, OKLAHOMA.

ENVELOPE.

Application filed February 3, 1927. Serial No. 165,640.

This invention relates to envelopes for sending photographs and other similar matter through the mail; and it consists in construeting the envelope, as hereinafter fully described and claimed, so that the same envelope can be used either for printed matter or 'for a written letter, at will.

ln the drawings, Figure 1 is a rear view ot an envelope constructed according to this invention, showing the flaps folded over but not sealed. Fig. 2 is a similar view but shows the two flaps raised. Fig. 3 is a rear view hut shows the flaps sealed down to inelose a letter, the tongue of the front Hap being straightened out and secured to the rear l'lap. Fig. 4 is a cross-seetion, taken on the line 11i-Ll in Fig. 1, and shows the folds separated a little, for elearness. Fig. 5 is a rear view similar to Fig. 2, hut shows :i dift'erently shaped envelope which has lat eral projections on the tongue of its front flap.

The front and hack ot' the envelope are secured together hy flaps 10, or in any other approved way. The front or address side 152 of the envelope is provided With a flap 14': having a tongue 15 at its middle part. 'i'he i'lap 14 adapted to he folded over the haeltP lo. and the hack 1G is provided with a liap 17 having a slot 18. The tongue 15 is thrust through the slot 18, and then is lient over and doubled, as shown in Figs. 2 and l. This is usually sutlieient to retain photographs in the envelope. The rear flap 17 is provided with adhesive material 19 around its edge tor securing it to the hack 16. When thus secured, or partially secured, to the hachv the folded tongue can he Withdrawn from the slot hy inserting a small piece oi 'ire or Wood between the front flap and the rear flap, but the tongue is not so easily withdrawn as when the rear flap is not sealed or is only partially sealed.

The envelope can he used for a letter when the tongue is folded and the rear flap is con1- pletely sealed down hy the adhesive material. If however it is desired to seal `the envelope securely, the tongue is lett straight after passing it through the slot, and is then secured by the adhesive material on the rear flap, as shown in Fig. 3.

In the modilieation shown in Fig. 5, the front flap 111 has lateral projections 2O on its tongue which is thrust through the slot 18 of the rear flap 17. These projections 20 are folded on the dotted lines 21 before the tongue is thrust through the slot, and are subsequently opened kout again so as to retain the tongue. This envelope can he sealed by its rear flap as hereinbefore described. The tongue 15 can be made lon enough to he overlapped and secured by the adhesive material on the rear flap, in a similar manner to the tongue 15, i t' desired, but

this is not usually necessary vunless the proa jections are shaped to permit them to be Withdrawn through the slot when the rear ilap is sealed to the hack of the envelope.

`What I claim is:

1. rin envelope sealed at three edges and having a normally open fourth edge, the trent of the envelope being provided with a relatively short flap arranged at thesaid open edge and provided with a foldable 'fastening tongue, and the hack oit the envelope being provided with a rear flap of greater length than the aforesaid flap, said rear flap being arranged at the said open edge and provided with adhesivey material and hav ing a slot in which the said tongue is slidahle. said tongue when straight heing long enough to project from under the rea'r flap and being adapted to he sealed to the haelt of the envelope hy the adhesive material on the rear illap, and helng ivitlidravvable from the slot when folded. ,y

2. An envelope as set torth in claim 1,y the said fastening tongue having also foldable projections on its sides to hinder its withdrawal from the slot.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

GUsT HARMOUTH. 

